Sorcerer
by Emachinescat
Summary: Originally anthologized in "Sesquipedalian." When Merlin's secret is revealed, not only to Arthur, but to Uther as well, Arthur must sift through his emotions, doubts, fears, and the lies of others in order to find the truth if he is going to save Merlin from a horrendous fate - and even that might not be enough.
1. Part One

Sorcerer by Emachinescat

A Merlin Fan-Fiction

SUMMARY: Originally anthologized in "Sesquipedelian." When Merlin's secret is revealed, not only to Arthur, but to Uther as well, Arthur must sift through his emotions, doubts, fears, and the lies of others in order to find the truth if he is going to save Merlin from a horrendous fate - and even that might not be enough.

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_Disclaimer: I don't own _Merlin_, which really stinks, because if I did, it would have ended WAY better than it did! (Or better yet, it wouldn't have ended at all!)_

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__**A/N: If some of you guys recognize this, it is because it was originally a five-part story from my short story collection, _Sesquipedelian._ The only stories from that collection that I have posted separately are my multi-parters from the collection. I wasn't going to post this separately for reasons that aren't really important right now, and I managed to stick with that decision for several years. But I was going through my stories today, and I realized that this was the only multi-part story from _Sesquipedelian_ that I didn't post as its own story, and for some strange reason, my OCD kicked in - big time. So to make things right, here is _Sorcerer, _finally its own story! :) Even if you've read it before, please feel free to read again! You don't have to review again, but if you like it enough to want to do so, feel free! It'll be updated fairly quickly, considering that it's already written, and it will be posted in five parts. Enjoy, and please review if you feel so inclined! :)**

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**Sorcerer **

**Part One**

Merlin was in the process of making Arthur's bed when the guards burst into the prince's room. There was no warning, no polite knock, not even an apology as six heavily armed guards barreled into the prince's chambers. Merlin stared before snorting softly and going back to his work – Arthur (who, at the moment, was looking more than a little annoyed as he stood up from where he had been seated at his table, eating his breakfast) – shouldn't ever get onto him for barging in without knocking ever again after this.

The prince stood, his eyes narrowed and took a step forward. "_What_," he said none-too-patiently to the small group of his father's loyal men, none of whom he knew by name, "are you _doing?_"

Merlin's eyes shifted from the bed, his hands absentmindedly smoothing out the bedcovers as a tingling feeling trickled down his spine. Something was not right.

"Stand back, sire," one of the guards said, "he's dangerous."

Arthur's face crinkled in a mixture of confusion and irritation. Merlin stiffened, noticing several pairs of the guards' eyes on him and silently praying to whoever was listening that this was _not_ what he thought it was. "Who's dangerous?" Arthur snapped, clearly growing tired of this. "There's no one else in this rooms besides you, myself, and _Mer_lin, and, well, it's _obviously _not Merlin, he's too much of a _girl_ to be a threat to anyone."

He said this in Merlin's direction, his voice teasing to let Merlin know he wasn't serious – or not _completely_ serious, anyway – but Merlin barely noticed. He was too busy watching the guards begin to circle around him. He noticed for the first time that that there was rope in one of their hands and he began to back away.

Arthur, too, saw this and he growled again, this time with more force, "_What_ are you _doing?_"

"He's deceiving you, sire," the guard said, glaring at Merlin like he was nothing but a spot of dirt beneath his shoe. "He's a sorcerer!"

Merlin didn't even have a chance to see Arthur's response. The guards were on him. Merlin didn't fight back, didn't struggle as they yanked his lanky arms behind his back and bound his wrists with layer upon layer of rope. Someone grabbed the scruff of his jacket and pushed him forward. There were hands all over him, on his shoulders and arms, pushing him, holding him, preventing him from trying to escape despite the fact that Merlin wasn't trying to escape at all.

He was herded through the hallway by the guards. He could hear Arthur's voice from somewhere behind him but couldn't quite make out what the prince was saying over the din in his own mind. He didn't know if Arthur was trying to defend him or encouraging the guards to get on with the arrest. He found he didn't care at the moment. His mind was spinning and his stomach was twisted in knots. Uther had found out… _How_ had Uther found out?

As he was pulled through the corridors toward the throne room, surrounded by guards and hands tied tightly behind his back, he felt the eyes of passing servants and even a few knights on him. He knew it must be strange, seeing Prince Arthur's idiotic manservant being dragged to through the castle like a common criminal. Almost as soon as the weight of their gazes landed on him, however, they looked away. Merlin wondered briefly why this was, but then they arrived at the throne room and all other thought was swept from his mind.

* * *

Arthur followed right behind the guards, his mind reeling. He saw the way that passing people would gawk at the prisoner being marched to the king, and made sure to glare ferociously at every busybody that dared to make a spectacle out of the "sorcerer." But that was ridiculous, anyway. There was no way that _Merlin_ was a sorcerer!

Why on earth his father would think such a thing was beyond him, but considering the number of guards that had been sent to arrest him and the fact that Merlin's hands were tied so tightly that his hands were already white from the constriction to blood flow to them meant that these men were serious – which meant that his father was dead serious. They really thought that Merlin was a sorcerer. Arthur's throat was dry. He knew what that meant. It meant that Merlin was going to be sentenced to death.

_But what if he really _is _a sorcerer?_

The idea caught Arthur off-guard. He supposed it was a valid question that his subconscious had formulated, but it was not one he particularly wanted to entertain. The idea of Merlin with magic seemed absolutely ludicrous – but then again there always _had_been something odd about Merlin, something that Arthur hadn't quite been able to figure out even after three years of the young man as his servant. His own words from the first day they had met sprang into his mind.

_"There's something about you, Merlin… I can't quite put my finger on it."_

Could it be that Merlin really _did_ have magic? Arthur forced the idea out of his mind. If Merlin was really a sorcerer, Arthur honestly still couldn't see himself standing by as Merlin was burned at the stake or beheaded. The images made Arthur shudder.

Surely this was all a mistake. But there was one thing he knew for sure – he had been Merlin's master for three years; the boy was loyal to a fault, always ready and willing to put others in front of his own life. If Merlin was evil, then the world just wouldn't make sense anymore. Why would someone evil, someone with magic, be so self-sacrificing, so true, so intensely loyal to his prince and friends? No, if magic was evil, then Merlin surely wasn't a sorcerer. His father was wrong – hopefully he would be able to persuade the king to see reason.

He didn't have further time to contemplate this any further, however, as they had reached the throne room. Arthur's stomach tightened in anticipation and fear for his frie—_servant _as the doors to the throne room were opened and the guards shoved Merlin inside none-too-gently. Arthur's face was stoic even as he was internally panicking, trying desperately to think of any way to get Merlin out of this situation. He was also seething at the callous way his servant was manhandled, shoved to the floor so hard that his knees made a resounding 'crack!' as they hit the stone floor.

Merlin was kneeling in front of the king, hands bound, eyes terrified, and Arthur could barely stand the sight. Merlin looked so vulnerable, so scared – there was no way he was a sorcerer. Surely, if he had magic, he would be using it to attempt to escape right now; he wouldn't just be on the floor looking defeated.

Arthur's fists clenched at his sides as he saw the slumped position of Merlin's back, the fear and resignation in his face. He stood to the side, his eyes roving over the council, noting that most of them looked fierce and angry. A few looked skeptical. Gaius's eyes were full of worry and sadness. Arthur couldn't bring himself to meet the old man's eyes. Gwen stood with the servants, her eyes wide and terrified, filled with tears. Arthur couldn't bear to see her so upset. He swallowed thickly and looked away.

He moved his gaze to Morgana, who sat by Uther's side, and thought that he saw the tug of a triumphant smirk on her lips, a bitter, exultant look at Merlin's arrest… but then it was gone and her face was a mask again and Arthur couldn't help but wonder if he had imagined the whole thing. He forgot about the dark gleam in Morgana's eyes a second later, though, as he caught sight of the pure hatred and anger on his father's face as the king glowered at the prisoner kneeling before him. The king looked positively murderous.

Before Uther could speak, Arthur spoke, "Father, there has been a mistake."

"Silence, Arthur," the king spat in a tone that was usually saved for criminals. Arthur almost took a step back at the harshness in his father's tone and words. "Do not defend this sorcerer, I have learned from a very reliable source that _Merlin_," he spat the name like it was a Questing Beast's venom, "is plotting to kill you with his dark, corrupted magic."

"That's ridiculous," Arthur growled. "This is _Mer_lin we're talking about here, father – the same man, if you remember, who has stood by me loyally for three years, gone to fight a dragon with me, and who _drank poison_ for me! If he has been trying to kill me, he's even more incompetent than I already thought!"

From where he was standing across from Merlin and near his father, Arthur could see a small grin tug at Merlin's lips despite the circumstances.

A few in the court looked at bit unsettled by the reminder of Merlin's loyalty as they glanced at the boy who knelt there docilely as his fate was determined. Could there be some truth in what the prince said? Why _would_ an evil sorcerer willingly drink poison for the person they were supposed to be out to murder?

Uther noticed and his expression was harder as he ground out, "It is not my job to try and decipher the twisted workings of the minds of _sorcerers_. He was probably trying to gain your trust to get close to you."

Arthur gaped. "He's been 'close' to me for three years, Father – he's my servant, he's near me almost all the time! Why would—"

"That's _enough_!" Uther raged as he turned on Merlin, who was still kneeling there, face pale as he watched father and son. "A person of great trust has informed me that she caught wind of his plot and witnessed him trying to enchant you. For that, he will pay."

"Who?" Arthur demanded, his eyes roving around the room. For some reason, Morgana avoided his gaze. "And Merlin has _never_tried to enchant me!"

"And you would know if you had been enchanted, would you?" Uther glowered. "The bearer of this information has requested to remain anonymous as they expected such a ridiculous reaction from you, although I hoped they were wrong."

"Father, you've got this all wrong; there's no way that Merlin is a sorcerer."

Uther ignored the prince and turned to Merlin, who gazed back at him, obviously trying his hardest not to appear terrified. "You have been caught using magic in Camelot, in an attempt to murder the heir to the throne."

For the first time since being taken to the king, Merlin spoke, his voice low and respectful. "Sire, I have _never_—"

_SMACK!_

Arthur felt his blood run cold as Uther brought his hand across Merlin's thin face, striking the boy so hard that his head whipped violently to the side and he toppled sideways to the ground, dazed, unable to break his fall because of his bound hands. From somewhere nearby Arthur heard Gaius protest, his voice shaking. Gwen let out a small sob, tears running down her face. Merlin lay where he had landed, a bruise already developing on the side of his face. Arthur started to take a step forward but restrained himself, knowing that if he intervened now, he would only make things worse for Merlin.

"Do not lie to me, sorcerer!" Uther fumed. "You have been a traitor, trying to get close to my son, pretending to be loyal while all the while you were plotting his death! For that, you will be severely punished." Arthur swallowed back a protest, heart pounding, knowing what his father's next words were going to be. "You, sorcerer, have broken the laws of Camelot by practicing magic and using it for high treason – you are sentenced to death. You will be burned at the stake tomorrow at noon. Take him away!"

Merlin was yanked to his feet and dragged out of the room. Arthur stood still, waiting until everyone had filed out before turning to face his father.

Merlin was _not _going to die because of his father's blind hatred and refusal to see reason. Merlin wasn't a sorcerer; he couldn't be! Even if he was, Arthur still couldn't imagine him being evil. He opened his mouth to speak to his father, to try and prove Merlin's innocence, but he realized he didn't know much at all. He needed more information if he was going to plead Merlin's case.

And plead it he would, he thought resolutely as he closed his mouth, on the verge of yelling at his father, and turned on his heel, striding angrily out of the throne room. He was going to prove Merlin's innocence, save his servant from the pyre, despite the consequences.

Merlin was _not_ going to die tomorrow, Arthur decided, whether it meant Arthur convincing his father to let him go or Merlin mysteriously "escaping" into the night.

Merlin had been loyal to Arthur for three years – the time had come for Arthur to return the gesture and he would be damned if he let anyone, especially his blinded father, keep him from doing what was right. With resolve bubbling inside of him, he headed for the physician's chambers. He wanted to talk to Gaius and then Morgana… something about the look in her eyes when Merlin was brought in, although it could have just been a trick of the light…

And then he was going to go to the dungeons and speak to Merlin. He didn't know what was going on, but he did know that Merlin did _not_ deserve to die. He also knew without a shadow of a doubt that he was going to set this right – no matter what.

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**~Emachinescat ^..^**


	2. Part Two

DISCLAIMER: I don't own _Merlin_. Tis sad, tis sad.

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**A/N: So sorry for the ridiculous delay! I won't bore you with excuses, but I'll get straight on to the story! I should let you know that there is some pretty heavy whump in this chapter... be ready! Please review! :)**

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**Sorcerer**

**Part Two**

"Gaius?"

The court physician sighed, more deflated than he could ever remember feeling, as Arthur stepped into his chambers a bit hesitantly, expression guarded – although Gaius could see a glimpse of worry in his eyes. "Arthur." Gaius knew his tone was a bit clipped but he didn't try to correct himself. He couldn't stop thinking about Merlin, bound and scared, kneeling before Uther, sentenced to death. This couldn't be happening – it just… couldn't. He'd warned Merlin time and again to be careful when using his magic. Honestly, though, Gaius couldn't think of when he could have been seen and he hadn't been allowed into the dungeon to speak with Merlin. This was a bit odd within itself; normally as physician and advisor to the king, he had no problem getting through security into the cells. This time, though, he had been told that under _no_ circumstances was _anyone_ other than the king and those he _specifically _gave clearance allowed to see the prisoner. Gaius tried to tell himself that it was because Uther knew how close he was to the boy, although somehow he feared it was more than that.

"I… I'm sorry," Arthur said slowly, surprising the old healer and causing an eyebrow to raise slightly. "About Merlin," he added. "I tried to stop the guards from taking him but you know my father's personal guard… they're like his own little army. They only listen to him, not me."

Gaius raised a wrinkled hand, weary but grateful, not really wanting to talk about this now. "It is not your fault, sire." His expression grew angry as he muttered, "Although I _do_ place the blame on whoever it was that accused him of using magic to try and harm you, sire. I assure you that Merlin is innocent; he would never—"

"I know, Gaius. He wouldn't try to hurt me." Gaius noticed that while Arthur seemed adamant that Merlin wouldn't harm him, the prince hadn't said that Merlin wouldn't use magic. He wondered if perhaps the prince believed the accusations against his servant. Surely not; if he had, would he truly be here, apologizing for Merlin being arrested? Honestly, Gaius had no idea. "I know I can trust you, Gaius," the prince continued, and Gaius's eyes snapped to meet his. "As you can rest assured you can trust me."

"Sire?"

"I'm going to rescue Merlin, one way or another," Arthur whispered, glancing hastily over his shoulder as if half expecting an angry Uther to be standing right behind him. "But I'd rather do it within the law. If there is anything – _anything_ – that you can tell me, to clear his name, I _need_ to know. Because despite what my father seems to think, Merlin is _not_ an evil sorcerer." He paused before plowing onward. "And honestly, Gaius, I don't know if what's been said is true – besides the 'evil' bit; I know that's a load of wash – and at the moment, I really don't care. Actually, I'd rather _not_ know if Merlin truly has magic. If he doesn't, no harm done, and if he does, I'll deal with it _after_ I've saved his sorry behind." Gaius couldn't help but feel relief at Arthur's words – they showed how much he had matured and that he wasn't just going to make a decision about Merlin based solely on his father's beliefs.

"I understand, sire."

Arthur nodded. "Is there anything you can tell me, Gaius? Anything that my father would consider feasible proof? Apparently, whoever told him this is someone highly respected and even I will need substantial proof to convince my father that Merlin has never tried to kill or enchant me."

Gaius frowned. Oh, he had a _very_ good idea about who had told Uther but he wasn't sure how Arthur would take the news that the girl he considered a sister had caused this, if he believed it at all. True, the physician had just found relief in discovering that the prince was much more open minded than he would have dared to hope for, but when it came to family and those he considered to be family, Arthur was almost naively confident of their loyalty.

Seeing Gaius's hesitation, Arthur pounced. "You know something, don't you? Tell me, Gaius."

"Sire… I honestly don't know anything that would help clear Merlin's name."

Arthur's mouth turned down and Gaius could see that the prince didn't believe him. Gaius didn't want to make anything worse; right now Arthur had a fierce determination that was more than likely built mostly on stubbornness to help Merlin. Gaius feared, however, that if Arthur was distracted from this goal by fingers pointed at someone he cared deeply about, he would take the time to second-guess his decision to help Merlin. Gaius hoped that Arthur wanted to save Merlin because it was the right thing to do, because Merlin was his friend, but he couldn't take the chance. Still…

"I wonder, though, sire, if the Lady Morgana might know anything? She and Merlin _are_ friends of a sort, after all. She might have seen something I missed."

Arthur nodded, expression distant as he considered talking to Morgana. "Yes, Gaius, I think I _will_ talk to her," the prince decided, before turning on his heel and leaving the room.

* * *

Arthur had been telling the truth when he had told Gaius that he didn't want to know the truth about Merlin just yet, but not just because he didn't want the extra stress to deal with. While that much was true, he just didn't know how he would react if he found out that Merlin _did_ have magic. He'd like to think that he'd give his servant a chance to explain, that he'd at least entertain the possibility that if Merlin had magic then all magic couldn't be bad, but he just didn't know. Uncertainty plagued his mind. What if he found out that Merlin had magic and decided that he was angry at the boy for lying to him? What if the angry, magic-hating side of his mind took control and he stopped trying to help Merlin? This way, if he just pretended that nothing had happened, that Merlin didn't have magic despite the accusation and definite possibility, he could focus on rescuing the idiot now and _then_ worry about the repercussions later. Arthur still wasn't positive why he was so determined to save Merlin, especially if he did have magic, but the thought of Merlin burning made him sick. Merlin just wasn't evil, magic or not, and Arthur just couldn't let him die.

Now, Arthur stood outside of Morgana's door, fist poised to knock. He didn't know why he was suddenly hesitant to talk to her; he had had more than his fair share of conversations with his father's ward in the past, although much less this past year after being returned home from captivity. He supposed that he could be nervous because this time he wasn't coming to her for advice or even a bit of sibling-like banter, but to question her about what had just happened in the throne room. He didn't necessarily think that she had anything to do with Merlin's arrest and death sentence but he _had_ seen the smirk and the dark look in her green eyes as she watched the servant being thrown to the floor at Uther's feet. And when the king's hand had made harsh contact with Merlin's face – something that had shocked – and _angered_ – the prince more than he cared to admit, Morgana had… smiled? No, that couldn't be right.

Then again, the look on Gaius's face before he had suggested that he speak to Morgana had been almost bitter, angry. Like his reasons for wanting the prince to question Morgana were not what he said – that she might have seen or heard something about the person behind this because they were friends. In actuality, although Arthur hadn't really realized it until now, looking back over the past few months, Merlin and Morgana hadn't interacted much at all. The only times he had seen them together, their exchanges were brief and seemed forced. Maybe Gaius had been implying something, something that he was afraid to voice aloud to the prince, unaware that Arthur's thoughts had been drifting, unbidden, in the very same direction since seeing that first smirk on her face when Merlin was dragged into the hall.

But…

This was Morgana, the woman who cared about everyone and every_thing_ in the whole blasted kingdom. The girl that was like a sister to him, that was not afraid to speak out against Uther and for those that she felt he oppressed – even those with _magic_, for crying out loud. Now that he really thought about it, most of the times Morgana had been in trouble was because she had rebuked something to do with the law about magic – the sentencing of that druid man, Alvin, or whatever his name had been; the execution of the druid boy (although Arthur had felt the killing of a mere _boy_ to be a bit extreme himself); when Guinevere had been accused of magic… If she was so passionate about helping those that she felt oppressed, _surely_ she wouldn't tell on Merlin if he did, by some cruel joke of life, have magic. And besides, Merlin was her _friend_. She wouldn't just betray him… would she?

He shook his head, angry at the doubts he was having about Morgana's loyalty to her friends. Of _course_ she wasn't happy about Merlin's situation; she was probably just putting on an act for the king so that he wouldn't punish her for voicing her opinion again. That didn't set right with the prince, either, though, because she had never seemed to care about the repercussions of telling her guardian off before. Sighing, Arthur shrugged off such thoughts, knowing that he wouldn't learn anything by standing outside of Morgana's door, arguing with himself all night. Meanwhile, Merlin was sure to be in the dungeons, under lock and key and strict watch. Arthur could only hope that he'd be left alone – he knew the guards could sometimes be a bit rough with sorcerers, especially if they were those that were loyal only to the king. Still, Merlin hadn't exactly been _proven_ guilty, so surely Merlin would be kept relatively comfortable, despite being locked in a cold cell beneath the castle awaiting execution.

No. Merlin was _not_ going to be killed tomorrow – Arthur had already decided that – but if he was going to find a way to (legally) get his servant out of this mess, he was going to have to find some answers. Because of Morgana's suspicious (although Arthur hated to call it that, really) behavior in the throne room, he was going to try and see if she knew anything first. Then he would go see Merlin, maybe get some answers. For now, though, he was going to talk to Morgana.

He took a deep breath and knocked.

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Merlin was shoved into one of the deeper cells in the dungeons, further than he'd ever been before. His stomach twisted in a small knot as he glanced around the dark, dank room. This was obviously a place built specifically for holding people with magic. A set of chains hung from the back wall and as the guards "escorting" him forced him toward them, he realized with a wave of panic that these were not just any chains – they were made specifically for containing magic. He would have thought that with Uther's ban of everything magic, these, too, what with the runes of the Old Religion surrounding the cuffs, made to restrain magic, would have been destroyed. Then again, Uther would want to have a way of keeping control of those extremely powerful sorcerers, those that he considered a threat.

Merlin struggled as his wrists were clamped into the manacles, his back facing the empty room, his face turned to the wall. The guards strode forward, holding a larger manacle with a chain attached to it, and Merlin strained his neck away as they tried to clasp it around his throat. A blow to the back of the head stilled his struggles as he gasped, dazed, and the giant metal ring, also covered with runes, clicked shut around his throat. The short chain attached to the collar was pulled forward and hooked to a ring on the cell wall, effectively diminishing Merlin's head movement. His magic was shoved deeper inside of him, the collar repressing it.

He couldn't look around, only at the wall. He was terrified, not able to know who – if anyone – was behind him, or what they were going to do. Suddenly a hand touched his shoulder and he flinched, hating himself as he did so. He cursed himself for ever letting it come to this – but what was he supposed to have done? He hadn't known the guards were going to go _this _far, suffocating his magic and chaining him so securely in this bleak, dark, obscure prison cell that the warlock hadn't even known existed until now. Besides, he wasn't going to attack the king – as much as Merlin hated the man at the moment, he _was_ Arthur's father, and Merlin just couldn't do that to his friend.

He instinctively tried to use a burst of magic, just to see if it would work, but nothing happened. Fear trembled through him and he tried to calm down, on the verge of hyperventilating. He couldn't use his magic. _He couldn't use his magic._ Panic began to settle into his chest as he realized that he was, for once, truly helpless. He should have broken free from the guards when he had the chance, because there was _nothing _he could do for himself now.

The hand on his shoulder tightened and Merlin wanted to turn and see who it was, but he couldn't, his neck restrained to the wall as well. As it was, he settled for glaring furiously at the slimy stone wall inches from his nose, but the wall didn't seem to care. A voice, low and dangerous, hissed in his ear. "My informant has also told me that you are not working alone – she has discovered that you plot with the witch, Morgause."

Merlin answered the king, his voice steady despite his roaring fear coming to the surface. "Sire, I haven't—"

He yelped as a whip cracked against his back. It hadn't been Uther who had hit him; the hand was still on his shoulder, the king's breath tickling his ear. Even through the material of his shirt, Merlin felt the sting of the blow. Uther spoke once more. "I want to know _everything_ about what she is doing, what you two are planning, and how to stop her."

Merlin was filled with desperation as he realized just how far Morgana – because who else could have done this, honestly? – had gone. Wasn't it enough that she had caused him to be arrested and sentenced to death? She was going to make Uther torture him for information about Morgause, all for her petty revenge? "I can't," Merlin said calmly, his heart racing. "I don't know; I'd never ally myself with that witch."

_CRACK!_

Merlin didn't cry out this time, only shut his eyes and jerked slightly. Uther's voice was harsh. "You leave me no choice, sorcerer. It does not give me pleasure to see you suffer before your execution, but suffer you shall if you do not tell me what you know."

"I don't— aaarrrhh!"

Something warm began to trickle down Merlin's back as the whip broke through the thin fabric of his shirt and sliced at the bare flesh beneath.

"The captain of the guards will keep you company while I see to other matters," the king said, voice laced with hatred for the wizard before him. "Just let him know when you're ready to confess. Maybe we'll even be merciful and bring your execution forward to stop your agony if you cooperate." Merlin's heart was pounding faster by the second, pure and raw fear running through his veins. Why hadn't he stopped this? He tugged at the chains. He didn't want this, he didn't want this, this _couldn't_ be happening, he had magic, he could just break free…

Nothing happened. He hadn't even realized that Uther had left, leaving his captain to do the dirty work, until the whip lashed his back again. He gritted his teeth, forcing the tears of pain back. He was helpless and he _hated_ it. Why hadn't he escaped when he had had the chance? Now it was too late… too late…

And on top of his physical agony, Merlin couldn't help but let his thoughts drift to his "destiny". What was Arthur doing? Did he believe Uther? Did he know that the king was having Merlin tortured for information? Was he doing anything to stop it?

And then all thoughts of the prince were driven from his mind as the whip found his left shoulder, digging in and splattering flecks of blood on the wall as it did so.

He hoped Arthur was coming for him, but he had no reason to believe he was. After all, he'd been convicted of –_CRACK!_ – magic. Arthur had been raised to abhor those who used it; why should Merlin be any different? Still, he couldn't help but cling to the small hope that maybe Arthur _would_ try to save him (if he even knew what was going on, that is), because he knew that it was the only thing that would be able to keep him going throughout the long and painful night ahead.

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**A/N: Yep, leaving you guys hanging about the Morgana/Arthur conversation and Merlin's questioning. So sorry. :) I'll try not to leave y'all hanging for as long as I did last time, 'kay? xD**

**Please review! :) I'll update soon!**

**~Emachinescat ^..^**


	3. Part Three

_DISCLAIMER: _I don't own _Merlin._ :/

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**A/N: So sorry for the delay. I have the whole thing written, but I'm OCD, and I'm posting in a certain order, so until I had published chapter 5 of _This Cold Land_, I was determined not to post any more of this. Sorry that my OCD tendancies got in the way of your reading this story! :) I'll give you a warning ahead of time: this chapter is pretty violent. And pretty gory. So if you haven't read it already, be aware. Thanks for all the reviews so far! Please keep it up. Enjoy!**

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**Sorcerer**

**Part Three**

"Arthur." Morgana's voice was surprised but calm. Arthur kept his eyes trained on her face, looking for any sign of guilt. There was none. Maybe, then, she had nothing to do with this mess. Maybe she had been smiling at something else, not Merlin's predicament. Maybe… maybe, maybe, maybe. Arthur was sick of all the "what ifs" and "maybes" that were running rampant through his head, determined, he believed, to drive him crazy. He didn't want to be here, questioning the girl who was like a sister to him about whether or not she had turned in his servant for magic. No, he wanted to be on his way to rescue said servant from the dungeon, or to be talking his father out of this execution, or, better yet, waking up and finding out that this was all just one big dream. Arthur just wanted to be _doing_ something.

He forced himself to give Morgana a grim smile and asked, "Can I come in?"

Morgana hesitated and for a moment Arthur thought she was going to say no. Then she smiled – and this smile was most _definitely _forced – and nodded. "Of course," she said. "Come in."

He nodded, stepped inside, and closed the door behind him. He didn't look at Morgana but felt her questioning eyes on him. Was he _really_doing this? Questioning Morgana about what had happened? Surely he was mistaken, she wouldn't…

Then he remembered Merlin, tied up and being dragged away by the guards and he strengthened his resolve.

"I suppose you're here about Merlin," Morgana prompted, the look in her eyes unreadable as Arthur's snapped onto them, surprised.

"I, er… yes," Arthur answered, a bit awkwardly. He hadn't expected Morgana to be so to-the-point about all of this. Then again, she never had been one for mincing words.

"Well, don't bother," Morgana said in a clipped tone. "I don't know anything."

"Morgana, I'm not—"

"He's going to die, Arthur," Morgana said and something in her voice sent chills up and down Arthur's spine. Her voice was dark, her eyes hard. And then she was back to normal, so suddenly that Arthur found himself wondering if she had even spoken that way or not.

"Not if I have anything to say about it," Arthur growled, determined.

"Why?" Morgana was genuinely surprised. "Arthur, you heard Uther. Merlin _practiced magic_, tried to _kill_ you with it. Surely you want to see him dead, too?"

"Of course not," Arthur spat. "And he _didn't_ use magic to try and kill me; that's just—hang on. _Too?_ Who else wants to see Merlin dead, Morgana? Who were you talking about?"

"Your father, of course," Morgana said hastily. "As he wants to see _all_ who practice magic destroyed." A trace of bitterness lingered in her words. Arthur felt something, a niggling of doubt, perhaps, stir in the back of his mind. Something wasn't right here…

Eyes narrowing slightly, Arthur regarded the woman that he had known for years, guilt welling up inside of him at the suspicions creeping into his mind. "Morgana," he said in a deceivingly calm tone, "what aren't you telling me?"

And just like that, the dam burst open and the truth – coupled with wild, uncontainable emotions – streamed from Morgana. All Arthur could do was stand in shock and listen to Morgana bare her soul.

* * *

_CRACK! CRACK! CRACK!_

The whip sliced across his bare flesh – his shirt had been torn to shreds not long after the questioning had begun – three times, each one sending a wave of agony through Merlin's body. He didn't know how long he'd been down here, chained to the wall by his wrists and neck, being subjected to these monotonous questions and subsequent torment.

_"What are you and Morgause planning?"_

_"Nothing."_

_CRACK!_

_"Where is the witch hiding out?"_

_"I don't know."_

_CRACK!_

_"Tell us how to stop her!"_

_"I can't – I wish I could, I swear, I want her to be stopped as much as you, I – ARGH!"_

_CRACK!_

And so it had went for minutes, hours, days… no, not days. Because Uther was going to execute him at noon the next day. As the whip cracked across his skin yet again, Merlin let a sob escape his lips. He didn't know, he really didn't know… but they didn't believe him. He dreaded hearing the captain of the guard's words, feared being asked a question, because he knew what it would mean for him if he didn't answer the way his interrogator wanted him to respond.

With each labored breath, each drop of blood, a little more of Merlin's hope died. He had thought that maybe – _maybe_ – Arthur would come for him, maybe he wouldn't believe Morgana's lies – well, half lies, really; while he _was_ a sorcerer, he would _never _use his powers to harm Arthur. He'd put far too much energy into protecting the prat to do that. Even so, Merlin wondered what point there would be if Arthur didn't care enough to try and save him from this torment.

_CRACK!_

The whip made contact yet again, and Merlin cried out, no longer able to contain it. He hadn't even heard the question. Instantly, he babbled, "I d-don't kn-know… I… I…"

And then – mercifully – he lost consciousness and the last thought, the last prayer in his coherent mind was, _Arthur… Please don't leave me here…_

Then he was gone and for the time being, the pain was put on hold.

* * *

"Yes, I was the one who told Uther that Merlin has magic," Morgana said, her voice thick with emotion. "When I found out, I _had_ to tell him, didn't I?" Arthur opened his mouth to answer but Morgana plowed over him, her voice angry. "And so what if he dies? Why should I care? He obviously didn't when he _poisoned _me!"

Arthur gaped. Merlin… poisoning someone? It… it didn't make sense. How could _Mer_lin, stupid, idiotic, peaceful, harmless _Merlin_ try and kill someone, especially one of his friends. "What are you talking about, Morgana?" Arthur asked, his voice hoarse."

"You should ask him yourself," Morgana spat, making no effort to disguise the hate in her voice. Arthur felt a bit ill at the sound of the sweet girl he had grown up with speaking with such malice, "although he might be hard pressed to answer."

Suddenly, Arthur's mouth went dry with fear even as a small part of his mind tried to tell him that he should _not_ be worrying about someone, especially a magical servant, who had tried to kill Morgana. But somehow, Arthur couldn't hate Merlin. At least, not yet. He needed to know more, not just Morgana's side of the story. But the way Morgana's eyes had gleamed when she'd said that Merlin probably wouldn't be able to answer struck a chord of fear in his chest.

"What are you talking about?"

"Didn't you know?" Morgana asked in a sickeningly sweet, oh-so-false tone that frightened Arthur more than he'd care to admit. He couldn't believe how much she _despised_ Merlin and even more surprising was that she had managed to hide her loathing for so long. "Your father is under the impression that he is working with the witch, Morgause." Arthur felt the blood drain from his face.

"What?"

"Uther is having your servant 'questioned' by the captain of the guards as we speak." Arthur's heart thudded uncomfortably fast and loud. The captain was known to be _brutal_, able to extract answers from almost anyone.

Without another word, ignoring the part of him that said Merlin was a traitor and a murderer, Arthur spun on his heel and dashed for the dungeon. He _had_ to stop this. He didn't know if what Morgana said was or was not true, but he couldn't just stand by and let his father torture Merlin, especially for something that he _knew_ couldn't be true. Merlin wasn't evil, he wouldn't work with Morgause. _But he poisoned Morgana…_ No, he didn't know that. _But what if he did…?_ Then… then he had had a good reason… _What 'good' reason could there possibly be for killing a friend?_

"Shut up," Arthur muttered to the little voice of doubt that continued to nag at him. "Not Merlin…"

He simply had to glare at the guards and they all but leapt out of his way as he strode purposefully for the dungeon. He bypassed all the initial cells, knowing that Merlin wouldn't be there if he was being interrogated. Stomach doing flip-flops, Arthur pelted around a corner and skidded to a stop in front of the cell that most of the prisoners' screams emanated from. He gaped, eyes wide, stomach churning, and couldn't believe the scene laid out before him.

"Merlin?" he said, almost tentatively.

Merlin didn't answer.

* * *

**A/N: Please review. Next update will come as soon as possible! **

**~Emachinescat ^..^**


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